Vrouwelijk naakt 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketch, Vrouwelijk naakt, at an unknown date with pencil on paper, and now it's at the Rijksmuseum. I imagine Isaac must have been in a real hurry. See how the pencil lines quiver with a nervous energy, rushing to capture the essence of his reclining model. I feel for the artist here, trying to capture the softness of flesh with just a few dark lines. The hair seems almost like water, flowing and pooling around her head. Then the hand—or is it a hat?—hovering above, barely defined, a ghost of a form. It is like the artist is asking, "how much information is enough?" Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and space, influencing and borrowing. Think about the way artists like Degas or Manet used loose lines to suggest form. This piece feels part of that same ongoing investigation.